Cigarette-case.



V. PRIMAVERA 6L G. GALLO.

CIGARETTE- CASE.

APPLICATION FILED lMLlB. 1916.

Patented May 15, 1917.

UNITED sTATEs EATENT OFFICE.

vINGENT PRIMAVERA AND GIUSEPPE GALLO, on vEw YOEK; 1v. i'

CIGARETTE-CASE. y v

y Application led ll'anuary 18, 1916. Serial No. 72,816.' l

T0 all whom 'it majt/ concern.'

Beit known that we, VINCENT PRIMAVERA and GIUSEPPE GALLO, subj ects ofthe King of Italy, residing at New York, iny the county of New YorkandState of New York, have invented new and luseful ImprovementsinCigarette-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cigarette cases or receptacles and has for itslprincipalob- A umher Object of the invention resides` in the provisionof a case having a discharge passage, vmeansI for singly moving thecigarettes through said passage, and means normally lclosing isaidpassage to render the case dust-proof and protected A against` the ele-'ments l A further object of thel inventionis to provide a structure ofthe yclass mentioned which will be sanitary; one wherein the cig-larettes .can be eEectually ejected without injury thereto, and one whichwill .consist of parts which may be compactly associated with the caseor receptacle so that the same will-not occupy more space than that, now

given to cigarette containers without the improved ejecting mechanism.

In the drawings formin apart of specification and in whichN likereference numerals indicate similar parts throughout A,the

Figure 1 is'a perspective lviewofv thereon# f posed at appointslightlylowerthan the r`e' tainer or case. j 'z I.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof showing one of the sidewalls removed. jFig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-43 of rig. a.

' specification of Letters Patent.

' vraamteu May I5, mit?.

Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the ejector.

In dening a structure `of thel character hereinbefore'referred to, weparticularly are v desirous of combining the same with' a package orcontainer so that the proportionv of the latter over its original sizeneed. not be materially changed. When speaking 4of the 'original size ofthe container it is meantthat size which usually accommodates about -tencigarettes.` We wish. also to emphasize theI fact that the structureherein contemplated ,y termed a non-reusable ornon-rellable box.

may be employed in connection with whatis` In view'4 thereof, it isfurther necessary to'`v laystress on the sim licity of the operatingmechanism constituting thepresent yinvention, whereby it may beassociated with the package without adding to -any appreciable extent tothe cost of 'manufacture thereof. v The package or containerv 1.hereinshown,

therein near vone cornerof the container.

This passage is proportioned so as to permit ofthe single discharge of acigarette therethrough.v The opposite wall/4 of'Ithe-conftainer isupstruck at 5 and it is extended `in-Y wardly vat. 6 kto form aledgewhich is-'de-y apurpose tobe hereinafter explained.:v The ejectinglmechanism consists of vaf' is provided with a wall 2 having a .passage3 rockinglever 7 stamped from a single piece of thin metal orgothersuitablel material.

The lever is provided witha relatively long .arm 8 having a lengthkapproximately corre sponding-,with that of the container 1. At-

d'erfto permitone cigarette to always be dis-v.

one end, the arm is providedwith `a lhorizon?.l tal ejecting vfinger9`which is normally dis'- 'posediin the space 10 between one end of theledge 6v and 'the vadjacent end of the conytainer. This constructionisnecessaryoin vorf maining cigarettes in r the package and thuspermitcertain movement to beimparted-to the ejectorto gradually advance thecigait was loriginally placed within the con*- ing 3. At the oppositeend the ejectoris provided with a short actuating extension 11 which isextended through a passage inthe adjacent end Wall of the container,being substantially exposed therefrom to permit of its being engaged bythe inger and pressure applied thereto to effect rocking of the ejec.

tor. In addition to this extension, the ejector is provided with a shortlever arm 12 which is terminally rolled about or Aothe'rwise suitablysecured to one terminal 13 of a spring 14.

, Inorder to prevent dust and objection-I able elements from enteringthe package, it

l This closure freely slides under the wall 2 and under the action ofthe spring, it

is li'eld closed normally and at the same y time the E nger 9 of theejector is maintained in an active cigarette receiving position in therecess 10. The spring 14 is preferably formed of a very thin steel wireso as to not add to the bulk of the. package and to also accommodateitself tol the .cigarettes on movement ofthe ejector. We desire that italso be observed on 4reference to Fig. 2', that the ejector arm 8' isvso arranged with respect to the cigarettes whereby making it impossiblefor the arm to come incontact with the ends of the' cigarettes.

In. this manner we eliminate tearing-of the wrapper and each individualvvcigarette,'when removed from the container,

will be equally as intact or perfectas when tainer.

VHaving described the structural details constituting the closuremechanism and the Iejecting mechanism, operation of the mentioned partsis now described as follows On applying pressure to the extension 11,"the .ejector arm 8` will be rocked and as a consequence thereof thatcirgarette which rests upon the finger 9 will be moved towardthedischarge passage 3.4 The depth of the lrecesslOis greater than thediameter of the `passage-3 and hence, it follows that certain movementof the cigarette can be effected without suddenly bringing the same intocontact with f the closure 16. Simultaneously on applying pressure tothe extenvsiongll, the sprlng 14 will be extended through movements yofthe arm 12 and `incident'thereto, the closure 16 will be moved to areleased or opened position. A similar cycle' of movements of the.respective parts follows on lreleasing the pressure of the hand fromsaid extension 11. Broadly speakingA the peculiar combination of partsherein madeuse of, results in the cigarettes being., singly acted .uponand the closure 16 operated inlsuccession of movement of the arm- 8causing the closure to be gradually opened as the finger 9 approachesthe same and then subsequently released to its former position on thereturn of the ejector'to its recess 10. l j With a View to facilitatingan active vre'- tention of the cigarettes with the ejecting mechanism,it is preferred that a follower 17 be employed. lThis follower is freeto slide within the container and secured thereto are terminals 18 ofsprings 19. The opposite terminals of said springs are free to bearagainst theadjacent walls of the container and under the normaltensioned con- 'A dition of lthe springs, the follower very nicely bearsagainstthe cigarettes and the -tendency Y. of the follower is tocause-the cigarettes to successively approach the ejector. The base ofthe follower is off-set at 20 and extendedrdownwardly at 21 between oneside of the container and the adjacent edge of the ledgel 6'and alsooff-set at 22 as shown in Fig. 3. When the receptacle is of the non-reusable type, the wall 23 thereof ma be permanently secured tothereceptac e as will be understood. -However we do not wish to limitourselves to this orm of container as the mechanism forming theessential parts of the invention may be combined with any well tainer. v

In order to hold the follower against the .action 'of :the springs' 19at the time of filling the container-.with ci arettes, we employ asuitable latch 24 a apted 'to engage known forml of conf with the keeper25 on the follower; This latch may be depressed manually after thepackage is filled. The follower vis then released and will operate,against the cigarettes for the purpose intended.

The follower as described isconstructed of flat material. It liesparallel with the adjacent side ofthe container, occupying very littleroomin the container whereby to permit the latter to be used in combina-,tion with said mechanism without' the latter adding objectionable bulkthereto. lThe,

simplicity of construction of the various parts permits of said partsbeing' combined with the container at acomparatively low cost and thecontainer, together with the v ejector mechanism,4 may bethrown awayafter the package has filled its purpose as a container for its originalcontents.

What is claimed as 'new is 1. A package vhaving a closure, an ejectorfor simultaneously moving the closure and to the closure and itsopposite terminal atj ejector embodying a single spring Wire havtachedto the short arm of thel ejector. ing one terminal attached to theclosure and In testimony whereof We aix our signaits opposite terminalattached to the upper tures in presence of two Witnesses.

5 extremity of the short arm of the ejector.

2. A package having a closure, a rocking ERA ejector including a longarmand a Short arm, means for simultaneously moving the Witnesses:

closure and ejector embodying a single CHRIS FEINLE,J1'., 10 spring Wirehaving one terminalattached VAmma V. DOYLE.

